Three Colorado inmates charged in violent March murder inside Cañon City prison, 2nd in a year

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) -- 13 Investigates is uncovering new details about a murder inside the walls of the Colorado State Penitentiary in Cañon City. It's a murder that the Colorado Department of Corrections never announced to the public and still won't comment on, citing an "ongoing investigation."

On March 26, arrest records obtained by 13 Investigates reveal that Nicholas Hill, an inmate at the prison, was brutally beaten by three other inmates. The Fremont County Coroner's Office ruled Hill's death a homicide as a result of "blunt force injuries of the head and neck."

The 11th Judicial District Attorney has filed 2nd-degree murder charges against three men: Turrel Lee, Charles Porter, and Justin Sanders. Arresting documents outline that all three men allegedly kicked and punched Hill dozens of times as Hill was trying to break up a fight between other inmates inside the prison.

The arrest affidavit outlines that several inmates were playing cards, watching TV, and even drinking alcohol inside the prison before this melee ensued. Records say Porter is seen on surveillance video punching another inmate before Hill and another inmate came to this person's defense.

Investigators with the Colorado Department of Corrections concluded that Lee kicked Hill ten different times, Porter delivered two kicks to Hill, and Sanders kicked Hill six different times.

After prison guards broke up the fight, Hill was airlifted to Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs. The next day, Hill was declared "brain dead" by a Colorado Springs doctor.

13 Investigates spoke with Danny Cochran, Hill's father, who expressed frustration with how prison officials allowed his son to be beaten to death on their watch.

"The prisoners are in control right now. They are completely in control of what goes on there and what happens," Cochran said. "When Nick was brought into the hospital and his mother was talking to the two officers that had brought him in, they told her they did not know how long he laid there before somebody got to him."

Cochran believes that well-documented staffing shortages for correctional officers at DOC prisons did not help in potentially saving his son's life. 13 Investigates learned in 2022 that there were 1,192 job vacancies throughout the prison system in Colorado. There were 468 corrections officer jobs open as well.

"How does one officer break up six guys in a fight or control that situation? They don't. They call in backup that comes from all over the rest of the facility, which means that the rest of the facility is left unattended," Cochran said. "There's no way that they can have a quick response or keep these people safe."

Cochran said Hills was recently moved from Sterling Correctional Prison to the State Penitentiary in Cañon City "for his protection." Cochran said he was scheduled to be released mere months before he was murdered inside the prison.

13 Investigates asked the Department of Corrections multiple questions about why Hill was moved prisons and how this violent assault was able to take place. A spokesperson, again, would not answer our questions citing an "open investigation."

Cochran is left to search for answers. His entire family told 13 Investigates they would have weekly calls with Hills, who his father describes as incredibly involved in the lives of his brothers, sisters, and parents.

"It's been just constant loss. He would call once a week minimum religiously, and I'd start wondering about him. Now if I go three, four, or five days without it, I start thinking, oh, I should be hearing from Nick pretty quick," Cochran said. "Then it's just that complete realization that your son's gone and he's never coming back."

This is not the first murder uncovered by 13 Investigates at the Colorado State Penitentiary.

Back in May, our team reported on another violent murder that occurred in June 2022. In that case, six inmates were involved in the assault of another inmate. Only one person currently faces murder charges in that incident.